


Best Big Brother in the World

by 5_Minute_Fics



Series: Pieces of Life [7]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-31 07:56:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6462169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/5_Minute_Fics/pseuds/5_Minute_Fics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cat has lunch with her sons before dropping Adam off at the airport.  Carter tells Adam how he really feels.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Big Brother in the World

**Author's Note:**

> So ... I've been trying to do something with the boys for a few weeks, and I can't quite get it. So here it is, with all of its imperfections. Also, Carter Grant is an up-and-coming bad ass.

"How was it Adam?"

"It was great. I think I love this place." Adam pushed his plate a few inches away and sat back in his chair. "Thanks for lunch mom, it was nice to get a few more hours with you guys."

Cat Grant smiled and put her napkin on her plate. "Still working on yours Carter?"

Her younger son smiled wide. "I'm not leaving until I'm stuffed." 

"Great. You may miss your flight, Adam." Cat winked at her oldest son. 

"This place has the best food." Carter said to his half-brother. "I knew you would like it."

"Well you were right, it was delicious," Adam smiled. It hadn't been the easiest visit, but he had made progress with his mom, and even spent some quality time with his brother. Carter hadn't opened up to Adam, but his mom assured him that it was just a matter of the boys getting to know each other. Adam understood, and was ready to give Carter whatever time and effort he needed to have a good relationship with him. He hadn't spent much time with Carter, but Adam was already very fond of the boy. He wasn't sure when it happened, but at some point over the last couple of days he had decided that he was going to be the best big brother in the world. He didn't care how much time and effort he had to put in. He was going to be Carter's loving, attentive, and protective big brother.

Cat pushed herself away from the table. "Well boys, I am off to the ladies room. Be right back." She took her purse and headed toward the restrooms on the other side of the restaurant.

Carter watched his mom walk away toward the restrooms, and kept his eyes on her until she disappeared into the crowd somewhere behind Adam. 

Adam watched over his shoulder as Cat walked away, then turned back to face Carter. "So Carter, have you ever gone fishing?"

Carter looked at Adam, his big smile now gone. "What took you so long to come visit?"

"What?" Adam was surprised, not just at the words, but at the sharp tone coming from his younger brother. He wasn't sure what to expect the first time the two of them would be alone together, but he certainly didn't expect this. "I … what do you mean?"

"Have you been having trouble cashing your checks?"

Adam had no idea how to answer. Was Carter serious? Was he angry? Was he joking? 

"Carter, I really don't get what you're asking me."

"Mom sends you money every month with a note that she would love to see you. She asks you to come out every Christmas. You never answer, and you didn't come until now. And you won't even stay a few more days because Kara won't date you."

"Um …. I don't - "

"And you stay away from Kara, she's too good for you."

"Wow. You're not one to pull punches. You sound like mom." Adam's poor attempt to lighten up the conversation fell flat.

"I spent the night with her, you know." 

"With mom?" 

"Kara. She watched me overnight. We were up all night playing games and talking." Carter stuffed a french fry into his mouth. "Oh I shouldn't have said that, I suppose you're going to cry about that too now."

It was becoming clear to Adam that a relationship with Carter was going to take some effort in ways that Adam hadn't considered. Having a good relationship with his brother was worth it. And it would make their mom happy, which was something that Adam was also determined to do. So he sat up a little straighter in his chair, folded his hands on the table in front of him, and gave Carter his full attention. "Get it off your chest Carter. I'm listening." 

"Let's be honest Alec, you're a cry baby. Oh boo hoo, my mother didn't live with me growing up. Like you're the only one who has to grow up without a parent."

_Best big brother in the world. I am the best big brother in the world._

"You have both of your parents in your life, Carter," Adam said calmly. "I only had dad, and I still have to work through some things with mom." Adam paused briefly. "And you too."

"Whatever. I have one parent in my life, and she's amazing. My dad is half-assed, never comes to our place to see us, and cancels over half of my visits with him. I have an older brother but even though he's a grown man, and even though he has the money, he still never came to see us. But I guess there's something special about you, Albert, you get to be a selfish douche-bag because you didn't have your mommy."

"It wasn't like that -"

"You know what Allen, do you know how hard it is to try to learn about cars and football on YouTube so that you can keep up with the other guys at school? " Carter stuffed another fry into his mouth. "Mmm God I love these fries," he said with his mouth full.

"Carter, I know you know my name." _What is this weird shit they have with names?_

"I got bullied a lot, Aiden. Did you know that? Who was supposed to help me with that? Mom? You know what Cat Grant would do if she knew the kids bullied me like they did? First, she'd blame herself, even though there's no reason to. Then she'd worry, every day, even if it wasn't happening anymore. And then, she'd buy the school and have those kids expelled." Carter had emphasized each point by counting on his fingers, so that now he held three fingers up to Adam. He lowered his index and ring fingers, and pretended to rub something out of his eye with his middle finger. 

Adam almost laughed out loud. He was getting flipped off by Cat Grant's 12 year old son. 

Carter grabbed another french fry and continued. "So I took care of it all on my own. I found a high school kid to teach me how to fight. I paid him with some of my video games and lunch money. And when I knew I could stand up to those guys, I put on my best school clothes and I dared them to push me down. I even wore a bow tie. I looked like a moron. But you know what, they didn't have the guts to push me. And they never bothered me again."

"That's a very brave thing to do Carter." 

Adam was impressed. Most shy kids didn't have the confidence to stand up to people who bullied them. What was it his mom said to him at dinner … _"I never got to teach you how not to be afraid of the world."_

Well, she sure got to show Carter, and Carter had learned it well. This kid was cool, and he got to be this kid's brother. Even if Carter was mad at him, he was going to be the best brother the kid could ever hope for. Starting right now.

"Did you ever skip a lunch so that you could take care of your own problems? Or do you just sit at home and cry about 'em?" 

Or, maybe he'll just kick the kid's ass, get on a plane, and never come back. 

_Best big brother in the world. Best big brother in the world. I can do this._

"Carter, you just don't know what I went through." 

"Well I know you didn't go through National City because you didn't stop and see us." Carter took a drink from his cup, quickly swallowed, and continued. "Mom cries over you, you know. She cries at night. Every time she sends you a check she asks you to come, and you never even call, and she cries for sometimes two or three nights."

"Carter, she doesn't send me checks. Ok? And you don't even let me answer your questions, you're just judging me for things you don't understand, things that have never been explained to you."

"I pretend that I don't hear her cry. She doesn't want me to know that she cries over you, so I pretend I don't hear it. If you tell her that I know when she cries, I will kick you in the junk."

"In the junk?" Adam couldn't stop himself from chuckling.

"You think it's funny that you make her cry?" 

"I don't think any of this is funny Carter, please let me answer your questions, let me explain my side of things."

Carter ignored him. "I'm the regional spelling bee champ. I would have won the state championship but I couldn't go because I had the flu. Mom took good care of me though, which is hard for her because she hates being around germs. But, I'm her little boy." Carter shoveled the last of his coney dog into his mouth.

Adam nodded. "That's great, do you get a trophy or anything like that?"

Carter swallowed his last bit. "I'll win the state championship next year."

"I'm sure you will." _I love him, he's my brother. I love him, he's my brother. Just keep saying it …_

"This summer I'm going to science camp. That should be pretty cool." Carter squeezed some ketchup onto the last of his fries. "How's school going for you?" He said, not even bothering to look at Adam.

"I'm not in school at the moment." _But you already knew that, you little bastard._

_Nope, I love him. Best big brother in the world._

"Well no shame in that. I mean, mom really values education but not everyone is cut out for the academic stuff." Carter picked up his plate of fries and held it out to Adam. "Want some fries? They're so good."

"No, I'm set thanks. So I thought maybe we could go fishing next time I'm out here. Do you like fishing?"

"Mom took me fishing once. We caught a shark. What's the biggest fish you caught? Sure you don't want a fry?"

Adam chuckled. "Carter, are you saying anything that's true?"

Carter pretended to think it over. "About 90% of what I said was true. Hey you wanna know a secret?" Carter leaned forward over the table, and Adam instinctively leaned in to listen. Carter got as close as he could, and spoke barely above a whisper. "You made my mom cry." This time, Carter looked directly at Adam when he spoke. "And I hate you for it."

"Carter, I'm sorry." Adam meant it. "I wish I had come years ago."

Carter sat back up in his chair, any trace of anger had been tucked back beneath the surface where Carter liked it. "Sure you don't want some fries? I've got plenty." 

"Carter, listen, I will answer all of your questions, I want to explain all of this to you. I can't change what happened before but if you just give me a chance - "

"I can speak two languages." Carter continued. "Did you know that?"

"Is there a language where you just shut up and listen for a minute?!"

"Adam?" Cat had returned from the restroom just in time to hear Adam snap at his brother. "What's wrong?" Cat put her hand on Adam's shoulder. "Why would you talk that way to your brother?"

Adam had already regretted his words as soon as they escaped his mouth. He had been trying to connect with Carter, and Carter dismissed him like it was nothing. And now their mom had caught him losing his patience. She'll never forgive him. 

_I've ruined everything._

Carter looked at his mom and brother. Yes, he had wanted to hurt Adam, and he would have kept hurting him if he could have. But he wanted to hurt him on his own terms, not in a way that would involve their mother. But his mom stood there in front of them, looking like she had lost Adam all over again. And Adam was looking away from both of them, like he had just been broken in half. 

Carter didn't know he could feel so horrible. Maybe he didn't really hate Adam. Maybe he was just mad at him. 

Maybe, maybe, maybe. The only thing Carter knew for sure was that he never wanted to see that look on his brother's face again. 

"I was teasing him, mom, we were just messing around. Adam says he wants to go fishing next time he visits us. Can you get us a boat again?"

"Oh of course!" Cat smiled wide, relieved that the boys were getting along so well. "Did you tell your brother about the time we caught the shark?" 

Adam looked at Carter. "You really caught a shark?"

Carter smiled.


End file.
